Rainbow
by Chi August
Summary: Dusty saw the colors, heard the sounds, saw animals big and small, but she couldn't understand. She felt the sunlight on her skin, she shivered at the nighttime air, but she still couldn't understand. What was it about the world that made it beautiful? What was Dusty missing? She wanted to understand, but it was hard. She needed help; guidance. Maybe Danny would be the one to help.
1. Chapter 1

_I used to live in the darkness_

 _Dress in black, act so heartless, but now_  
 _I see that colors are everything_  
 _Got kaleidoscopes in my hairdo_  
 _Got back the stars in my eyes, too, yeah now_  
 _I see the magic inside of me_

-Rainbow; **by Kesha**

* * *

Irina remembered darkness. That was her first legitimate memory. Darkness, then something else. An unfamiliar sound. What _was_ that? She'd never heard anything like it before; though she'd never been conscious before. It sounded like it was trying to say something. Was that it? Was it trying to tell Irina something? That _had_ to be it! She was being contacted! By what or whom, she had no idea. Was she supposed to be scared? Irina was confused, maybe a little frightened. Was that normal? What was going on, anyway? Irina tried to open her eyes, to understand what was happening, but she couldn't. Her eyes refused to open. Then she slipped back, her consciousness disappearing.

The second thing Irina remembered were her eyes opening. Was that natural? She could open her eyes, so it had to be. But everything was blurry and distorted. She couldn't make heads or tails on what was happening. It didn't make sense. Was Irina in some kind of unnatural world? A place that didn't make sense? She _had_ to be. God, what was going on?! Irina's consciousness was starting to pick up on other things now. Her body. . . .it didn't feel natural. Something about it felt off. How could that possibly be? Her eyes cast downward she saw her body curled – a fetal position? Then there was a tube. Irina felt her brows furrow at that. The tube started near her face and went downward, further than her eyes could go.* Suddenly, Irina felt her body twitch and convulse, as if it were waking up. It was a strange feeling, and it left her wondering what kind of experiences she'd have. Who would be waiting for her? Would that weird sound be there? Irina really hoped she'd get to meet whoever made those sounds. It'd be amazing, for sure.

After what felt like a lifetime, Irina sensed her body descending – down what, she didn't know, but it was definitely an odd sensation. Not long after, she felt her body being pressed up against something soft; almost as if her body were molding together with it. Whatever had initially been around Irina's face quickly removed itself as she made her way out; her body being forcefully shoved through an opening. Once her head and shoulders were out, the young girl instantly felt cold. As the rest of her body slid out, Irina finally took her first breath, the chilled air filling her lungs almost painfully. Her body instantly curled into a ball, trying to warm itself. She was covered in some kind of liquid, and the cold air did nothing but make her uncomfortable. When she looked at the ground she was laying on, it looked as if it were made out of concrete, but wet from where she had come out.

Irina's breathing became more labored, quick and short. Her eyes blinked away and remaining blurriness, taking in the surrounding area. There were weird machines, blinking lights, and what looked like a big steel door. Was this what everything was like? _This_ was the kind of world she would be brought into? What kind of purpose did Irina have? Her brain was overloading with questions and worries. She had no idea what to expect.

"So you're awake." A voice snapped Irina out of her thoughts. Looking up, she saw a man in a sharp black suit. He was looking down at her condescendingly, and it made chills run up Irina's spine. She could see he was holding some kind of cloth in one hand, and he threw it down in a haphazard attempt to cover her. "You're premature," he responded. "Though you're not at all what I expected."

Irina opened her mouth to try and say something, but nothing came out. Not even the smallest of sounds made their way out of her mouth.

With a sneer, he let out an arrogant huff. "Blasted. . . .," he trailed off, muttering under his breath. It was too low for Irina to here. "Get yourself cleaned up. I suppose you'll have to do. You're the only one who _survived_ anyway."

And with that, he left.

 **-Rainbow-**

What was it about humans and their need for companionship? Was there something about it that Dusty just wasn't understanding? It seemed wherever she went, someone was always craving the attention of others. Whether it be romantic or platonic, the company of others seemed to fill humans with joy. And for Dusty, she never really had that kind of urge. At least, she didn't _think_ so. Her travels showed her a lot of different things, helped her experience a lot of different emotions, but the need for other human company just didn't seem to reveal itself to her. Loneliness, solidarity – those were feelings Dusty seemed to enjoy. She could think when she was alone, not have herself bothered with the loudness of others. By herself, the fourteen year old could accomplish anything. That's what mattered most, right? Being able to accomplish as many things as possible? That seemed to be another thing humans aim for.

Letting out a sigh, the young girl leaned back in her seat, her eyes lazily scanning over the crowds of families and kids gathered at their tables. Dusty couldn't comprehend how any of them could live so normally. In a way, she envied them. They had the lives she wished she'd been given. Instead, she had to live in constant fear, wondering if she'd even make it to the next day. She didn't have a very happy beginning, and she was desperately trying to determine what to do with herself. What was it about Dusty that made her who she was? She'd lived her entire life on survival mode, and suddenly she's out in the world, running from enemies and trying to live as under the radar as possible. Dusty wasn't going to risk her safety to being sent back to him, though it didn't seem to matter. No matter what she did, his goons always seemed to find her. Dusty could have been doing everything in her power to live as quietly as possible, moving around as discreetly as she could, yet she'd always be discovered. His goonies were very good at their jobs – or, some of them were. Others were easily taken down, which resulted in amplifying the number of bad guys after her. Sadly, it wasn't like Dusty could really _tell_ anyone what she was going through, no one would believe her. And if, somehow, she managed to convince someone of her situation, they'd call authorities and those were the _last_ people Dusty wanted involved. That was why everything was kept to herself.

Dusty had learned early on that only she was capable of handling her problems. Any other involvement would only escalate things and make them more complicated. In a way, she did believe that. There were a few instances, after her departure, where she managed to snag a place to stay with a few people. They managed to find out about a few issues and tried to get themselves into it; Dusty made sure to leave not long after. She wasn't about to waste her time and energy on someone who couldn't keep their nose out of her business. Were they really trying to help her? Maybe. Did Dusty need assistance in her situation? _Probably_. Life as a teenage runaway wasn't easy, there were a lot of risks, and Dusty made sure to stay as safe as possible. She didn't want too much attention drawn to herself. However, she could see a few people glancing her way – particularly the fast food joint's employees. Dusty had managed to find herself at a city called Amity Park. Nothing big, but there were enough people to make a difference. One of the popular hang outs was a fast food joint called Nasty Burger. Dusty could tell that it was a very common gathering place for other teens, and she appreciated the opportunity to observe other kids her age. She'd be able to understand them, see how they operated in big groups. Some were loud and dramatic, others were quieter and more reserved. It was interesting. Again, however, she had to wonder if she should tell them that, one day, all their happiness and joy would soon be gone. At some point in their lives, they'll experience pain, they'll know the feeling of absolute worthlessness, feeling out of place and unnecessary. How would they handle news like that? Poorly, Dusty assumed. Regular people didn't take news like that well.

Still, in a way, being able to observe humans in a natural state brought Dusty a sense of comfort. They seemed so at ease, so unaware of the world's problems. Unaware there were people who probably suffered more than them. Dusty made sure to keep that in mind. She'd let them enjoy their happiness, their blissful unawareness. They deserved that much, right?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter was probably confusing, but I'll try to – hopefully – have future updates that will better explain what's going on. If you've got constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'm all for that. If I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I won't know what to improve on. So there's that.**

 **I own nothing in the DP universe. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs/subplots, PM me or leave a review.**

 **If you were having trouble imagining what Irina was contained in at the beginning of the chapter, I guess the easiest way for me to explain it would be what Mewtwo was contained in at the beginning of the first Pokémon movie. I'm sure there'll be pictures of it on Google or videos of it on YouTube. I don't know. I'm probably gonna make a few changes to this chapter later on.**

 **On that note, have an amazing day, my friends.**

 **Chi August**


	2. Chapter 2

_Now we're all grown up and we know better_  
 _Now we recognize the way things are_  
 _Certain boys are just for kindergarten_  
 _Certain girls are meant to be alone_  
 _But I believe that any dream worth having_  
 _Is a dream that should not have to end_  
 _So I'll build a dream that I can live in_  
 _And this time I'm never waking up_

-Kindergarten Boyfriend; **from the Off-Broadway performance, Heathers: the Musical**

* * *

Irina continued to lay on the ground, even _after_ the man had left. Her body struggled to move, and she wondered if that was normal. The man she met seemed so cold and standoffish, looking at her as if she were a burden. Had she done something to him? Irina had no recollection of him; though she had no recollection of anything before her awakening. The man's reaction made her feel a little self conscious, as if she'd already done something bad before she had the opportunity to do anything. If he was already treating her like that, making her _feel_ like she'd already wronged him, as if she were a burden or a grievance, then Irina should expect everything afterwards to be even worse. But she didn't really know anything yet. Irina wanted to believe that maybe things would look up, given the man had a moment to calm down. She'd probably caught him in a bad time.

After taking a few minutes to get her on her knees, Irina slowly lifted her arms to wrap the blanket around her body. She was still shivering, and the thin cloth was doing nothing to warm her body. Taking in a deep breath, Irina could feel the cold air sending chills down her spine. There was definitely something off about the room. Everything about it felt wrong, but she just couldn't put a finger on it. Slowly looking behind her, the young girl could see a long, wide glass tube not far from where she sat. Irina could see clear fluids on the inside, though the grey area near the bottom had a sealed opening. Monitors by the tube showed numbers and frantic lines, blinking lights and other things she couldn't make sense of. Again, it sent chills up her spine. Irina's gaze then went to the large steel door on the other side of the room. There was a keypad on the wall next to it, and it was obvious the door needed to be opened with a specialized password. What was on the other side of the door? Irina found herself getting increasingly curious. Would she be able to see what was on the other side? She'd _definitely_ love to see the other side.

Then she heard a door open, then footsteps.

Irina's breath hitched at that. Her head carefully turned to see the suited man from before, still looking down at her in that same condescending manner. Why was he so upset with her? What had she ever done to him? She got herself all wrapped up like he wanted!

"Are you able to talk yet?" he sneered. His blue eyes narrowed menacingly. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you some questions."

"I. . . .," Irina slurred, her voice gravelly and weak. "Hn. . . .Wha. . . .?"

A frustrated scowl came across the man's face, in which he chose to bend down and yank Irina up by her forearm. The action alone was enough to cause the young girl let out a surprised and confused yelp. She hadn't expected him to react in such a manner, and it made Irina wonder what she'd done wrong. Her entire experience since officially waking up had been less than stellar, which made her feel a growing mixture of uncertain emotions. If this man was so upset with her, willing to make her feel so terrible, then why had she been awoken in the first place? Had he tried creating one thing, but got Irina instead? Was _that_ why he was so upset? Irina couldn't say with exact certainty.

All thoughts and worries aside, Irina took notice to how she easily struggled to keep up with the man's hurried pace. Her forearm hurt from the tight grip he had on it. He was leading her to the stairway he'd come down, presumably to the big room's exit. Maybe things would be better up there. Maybe Irina would have the chance to meet better, nicer people. The man she was with wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine. Once they made it upstairs, Irina found herself being tossed onto the floor, her body aching from the impact.

"You need to understand something, girl," he seethed, his eyes changing from blue to red, causing Irina to shrink back. "I _will_ _not_ accept failure, do you understand me? Despite your inconvenient and _unfortunate_ turn out, you're the only one who's made it out alive. Thus far you've only been a great disappoint to me. I'm wondering if I should terminate you."

Those words sent Irina's heart into a frenzy, her stomach tying so tightly that she felt nauseous. Was he threatening her? Why was he _threatening_ her? What had she done to disappoint him? Those thoughts rattled in Irina's brain, making her body tremble in fear.* She struggled to sit herself up, holding the blanket even more around her. Why hadn't she been given clothes yet? Did the man have any for her? Hopefully he did, Irina was starting to feel a little uneasy in her current condition.

"I want you to look around." The man's sharp tone caused Irina to flinch ever so slightly. The young girl did just that, taking in the drastic changes in the upper level compared to where she'd been found. It was bigger, more spacious – colored in green and gold. There were no machines, only weird decorations. Again, Irina wasn't sure how to react to any of what she saw. The man's voice carried more, which made the young girl hunch her shoulders in hopes of making herself smaller. She already didn't like him. "You are _not_ to go outside these walls," he exclaimed, waving around him. "You are to stay _inside_ this mansion at all costs. If I find you even _trying_ to go outside you will be terminated immediately. Do you understand me?"

All Irina could do was nod.

 **-Rainbow-**

It took Dusty an hour and a half to make herself leave the Nasty Burger. The fast food joint had become overcrowded, thus becoming too loud for comfort. For the young girl, she had a bad relationship with loud noises, so she tried to avoid loud places or people as frequently as possible. Because of that, Dusty chose quietness. It was relaxing for her, giving her time to think and breathe and not become overwhelmed with everything that's going on. So, when the Nasty Burger started to fill up, and the noise became too much for her, the young girl chose to leave. The one thing Dusty was thankful for was that Amity Park was a very small, very quiet city. Sure, there were those little city noises now and again, but it wasn't frequent and the young girl was so happy she didn't have to deal with those noises a lot. Dusty had spent time in bigger, more populated cities – those were nightmares. She couldn't sleep because of all the noise, she couldn't leave wherever she was sleeping because she was so overwhelmed. That was when Dusty promised herself to never seek refuge in overly populated areas. She'd be terrified out of her mind, too scared to even go out and _do_ anything. So finding Amity Park was a definite breath of fresh air.

On the sidewalks, the young girl could see kids, families, older couples, walking and enjoying each others' company. She could see cars and trucks driving down the roads, she could see all kinds of buildings and homes. It was really nice, and Dusty would appreciate her time in Amity Park for as long as she chose to stay. In reality, however, the young girl knew she wouldn't stay long. She only stayed in certain locations long enough to steal enough money and essentials before hitting the road again. If she stayed in one location too long, she'd be found out, either by him or civilians, and be sent back. Dusty didn't _want_ to be sent back. But, then again, it wasn't like anyone could truly find her in a database. She had no form of identification. No birth certificate, no social security, nothing. Dusty's entire existence was unknown. Civilians who worried about her safety would try and figure out a way to take her home, but she'd have to figure out an elaborate story to make them leave her alone. He'd be able to figure out her location with the help of his henchmen. He had eyes and ears everywhere. That alone was enough to dampen Dusty's mood. She had been relatively neutral for a majority of the day, but thinking about him always put her in a bad mood.

Throwing up the hoodie of her jacket, Dusty hunched her shoulders and started walking. She'd have to get more money before finding a place to sleep for the night. It was only midday, but the young girl liked to stay ahead of the game. She wanted to ensure her safety, to make sure she had somewhere to go to each night, though she made sure to change it for every night she stayed in the same location. She didn't want to catch the eye of any intruders, not wanting to deal with any additional problems. In a city like Amity Park, there _had_ to be abandoned buildings around. Every city Dusty had been to had numerous abandoned buildings. She'd managed to survive living in a few. The only kinds of people who lived or hung out in areas like that were either drug dealers or the homeless, so Dusty found herself in a good spot. She'd be able to scare the dealers off and maintain a healthy level of intimidation over the other residents before calling it a night. At least all the training she had under her belt was useful for _some_ thing.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know – this chapter showed the previous one before I posted this one. I don't need constant reminders or any kind of scolding from reviewers reminding me of this. I'm 100% aware of what's going on, okay? I am the one writing the story, so it'd be a little ridiculous if I didn't know what was going on. Other than that, give constructive criticism on what you think of the story so far. What're your thoughts on the characters? What do you think could use improvements?**

 **Nothing in the DP universe belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in.**

 **How many of you guys heard that Butch Hartman left Nickelodeon? It's kind of sad, he's been on Nick for roughly 20 years. He's made so many of my favorite shows as a kid, and, obviously, DANNY PHANTOM is one of them. What're your thoughts on that?**

 **On that note, I'll see you guys on the flip side!**

 **Chi August**


	3. Chapter 3

_"To all my of my beautiful future children who taught me how to believe. I offer all of you now my sincerest hopes, and wishes that the future world will become even more beautiful. And that is exactly the kind of world you find yourselves in."_

-Damos; **from Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life** (2009)

* * *

Irina had watched as the man walked away, grumbling incoherently under his breath. She watched as he hunched his shoulders, his hands tightening into fists. He was so angry, and Irina had no idea why. _Why_ was he taking his anger and frustration out on her? _Why_ was she being exposed to such negativity? Irina hadn't done a single thing wrong, yet she was being treated as if she were filth. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment, but she didn't know how to fight back. She didn't even know what was going _on_. It left Irina feeling a tidal wave of emotions, flooding her mind and body in such an overwhelming way it made her dizzy. Once she saw the man turn out of sight, Irina let out a breath. How long had she been holding it? She had so many questions that never seemed to have an answer.

Slowly adjusting the blanket, Irina clutched it closer to her body. She wanted to keep herself as covered as possible. If she could manage to find something other than a blanket, however, that would be even better. The man didn't seem to care whether or not she found proper clothing, but Irina was starting to feel a little more out of place around him. She was becoming aware of her body, how uncomfortable she felt being so exposed around him. So, she slowly stood up and, with trembling legs, Irina tried to make her way down a nearby hall to find some clothes. She saw pictures, autographs, other memorabilia that were pinned or encased on the man's walls, and it made the young girl wonder what they were supposed to represent. Obviously he was very invested in the group, or he wouldn't have so many things of theirs. But Irina's attention was quickly cast away from the memorabilia once she came across the hallway's first closed door. She hesitantly extended a hand and tried to open it, but the door was locked. Irina pursed her lips. Were _all_ the doors locked? It seemed a little ridiculous if they were. Where would Irina be expected to sleep? As she continued to make her way down the hall, the young girl continued to try and open doors, only to find a majority of them were locked. It wasn't until she reached the hallway's final door that she realized it was partially open.

A feeling of excitement washed over Irina as she opened it further. Inside was a bedroom – the room itself was huge, with a large bed pressed against the wall on the opposite end of where Irina stood. There was also a large dresser and closet, which the young girl found fascinating. She could make that her own room, but she'd have to see if there were any clothes in there. When she made her way towards the closet, Irina opened it and frowned when she saw nothing inside. When she went to the dresser, she opened it and let out a somewhat relieved sigh. There was an oversized t-shirt, it looked old and a little worn out. There were a few other discarded shirts, but she chose not to focus on those. Picking up the t-shirt, Irina let it fall to its full length. The white coloration was dull. There were a few holes in some areas – not huge ones, mind you – but that didn't bother the young girl in the slightest. It was a start. Cautiously dropping the towel, Irina put the shirt over her head, struggling a little until she finally had it on properly. Once it was on, it fell below her knees. The fabric was uncomfortable, and it made her shift a little where she stood, but Irina was happy to have _some_ thing.

Looking through the other drawers, a wave of relief came across her when she saw briefs in one of the bottom ones. They also looked a little big, maybe as uncomfortable as the shirt. Irina was just happy.

 **-Rainbow-**

The mansion was very big, filled with countless hallways and doors. Many of them were locked, others were easily accessible. It was strange, the way the house was set up, the way it was decorated. Irina couldn't keep track of any of it, but she knew that if she were to be stuck in the home for God knows how long, then she'd have to get acquainted to how it was arranged. The greens and golds didn't seem to blend well together, the decorations were a bit odd, and Irina couldn't comprehend how the home could be considered livable. Sure, there was room, but what was there but that? There were no other people in the house but the man and Irina. Why would two people need so much space? It didn't seem natural.

Stopping in front of a portrait, Irina let out a huff. It was a portrait of the man. He had graying hair and cold blue eyes. His skin was pale and he looked almost maniacal, though his face didn't outwardly show it. Irina could see it in his eyes. There was something bad about it, and it made the young girl wonder if it was something that just came naturally. Chewing her bottom lip, Irina fiddled with her hands. She was stuck with him for God knows how long. They'd have to make it work somehow. They'd have to make things right. They'd have to _learn_ to make things right. Right?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Way too long of a wait for a short chapter, but this was the best I could come up with. So whatever constructive criticism you guys have is welcome. Let me know what you think of the characters. Am I portraying them in an okay way? How can I improve the story and characters? Also, let me know if I get any of the canon characters wrong in any way. I'd hate to find out later I got them wrong and then have to go back and change however many chapters I wrote.**

 **Nothing in the DP universe belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review.**

 **Again, constructive criticism is welcome. Let me know your thoughts and tell me how I can improve.**

 **See you on the flip side.**

 **Chi August**


	4. Chapter 4

_"I spent most of my days reading stupid inspirational emails to try and feel good about myself. There was this one that kept going around. A young woman was having a hard time and told her mom she wanted to give up, so her mom went to the kitchen and started boiling three pots of water. She put a carrot in one, an egg in the other, and coffee beans in the last one. After they had boiled a while, her mom said, 'Look, all three things went through the same boiling water. The carrot went in strong and came out soft. The egg was fragile and came out hard. But the coffee beans changed the water itself.' You're supposed to want to be the coffee beans."_

-Paula; **from The Walking Dead** (2016)

* * *

Irina sat down in one of the hallways, her back pressed against the wall and her legs crossed. Her light blonde hair was down, falling around her shoulders and face, ending just above her waist. She'd been in the mansion for a number of weeks, undergoing what the man, Vlad, would call "conditioning". He wanted Irina to be strong, physically and mentally. It wasn't working that way. Instead, the young girl was tired and numb. Her body was littered with bruises – purple and blue ones littered her arms and legs; yellowish green and pale red ones decorated her stomach and back. Vlad was very aggressive in his approach of conditioning, and anything Irina did wrong would cause him to lash out. He didn't want to accept failure, and he kept reminding her how easily she could be _terminated_ should she let him down in real life situations.

In the number of weeks Irina spent living with the billionaire, she started to learn things she hadn't known before. She learned that Vlad's temper was even worse when he was having a particularly bitter day, or if the young girl did something wrong. And in his eyes, Irina did _everything_ wrong. He refused to acknowledge all the good she tried to do, he refused to acknowledge all the little things she did to impress him – Vlad just refused to truly see anything Irina did for him. In his eyes, the young girl was worthless, replaceable, insignificant, and he made sure to voice it any chance he could. Verbal assaults had become a regular occurrence in the Masters household, it started up not long after Irina started to adjust to her captivity. Sadly, she didn't _see_ it as captivity, she believed Vlad wanted to keep her inside for a reason. Maybe it was to help her build a steady foundation for the outside world; or to get a proper education before being allowed to leave. But Irina wasn't getting a proper education, and Vlad had no intentions of giving her a steady foundation for the world. The billionaire was manipulating the young girl, making her his slave in a way. He was using her for his own personal gain, putting her through rigorous training; verbal, mental and emotional manipulation; and physical abuse if it got really bad. For Irina, she felt horrible each and every time she did something that set the billionaire off. Did she say something wrong? Was she not training hard enough? Did she _do_ something wrong? It was hard to tell; Vlad was, for the most part, bitter about everything.

And the source of said bitterness came from a man named Jack. Irina had listened to Vlad rant and rave on numerous occasions about a man named Jack, who supposedly ruined the billionaire's life in their college days. Not only that, but he stole the woman Vlad was in love with. Irina couldn't say she understood everything that was being said, but she knew that whoever Jack had been, he had messed up _big_ _time_ to get Vlad that angry.

Another thing Irina learned from Vlad was that not only was she half-human, but a _clone_. That alone had been enough to make the young girl's head spin. What in the _world_ did "clone" and "half-human" mean? How was Irina supposed to feel about that? Was that a _good_ thing? Was it _bad_? It _had_ to be, right? In Vlad's point of view, it wasn't bad. He was desperate for companionship, whether it be romantic or paternal. His loneliness was clearly evident, but creating people with stolen DNA? Who could say that was normal? Vlad's explanation for why he did what he did was because he needed _some_ thing – _any_ thing – to control, to nurture and form. He chose cloning as a way to maintain that power he was supposedly missing. And to make matters worse, he had picked very specific samples from things he'd called _ghosts_ to give his clones added abilities. Unfortunately, Irina was the only one to survive. All the other subjects – the _promising_ ones, as Vlad had put it – died not long into the experiment. So that meant, if the billionaire was gathering ghost samples to give to the clones, then they were technically _half_ -ghost. But Vlad had informed her that, since she also shared the same DNA as him, she was still half-ghost even _before_ the samples were introduced. Which meant that the billionaire was half-human, too. And for Vlad, the downside to Irina was that she was a girl. He'd been hoping to have a successful clone who'd be male.

For Irina, she had a difficult time handling that information. She was a clone and half-ghost. How was any of that possible? She was still trying to figure out her place in the world, and suddenly she finds out she's not even her own person. She's an extension of _Vlad_. That stole away any hopes of individuality Irina hoped for. Any time she'd look in the mirror, she'd see Vlad's face, his cold menacing eyes and his condescending sneer.

Not even Vlad's abuse was as bad as finding that out.

 **-Rainbow-**

Dusty had been right about one thing: Amity Park did have its designated abandoned site. An area where buildings were left for the homeless or drug addicts, for the darker part of the city to rule free. Maybe the occasional police car would stroll by, but rarely did it ever stop for anything or anyone. That was something Dusty had seen in countless cities before – the cops would patrol the bad parts, but hardly ever stopped, even if something was happening. In some instances, the cops in those areas were probably corrupt. In other situations, it could have been something else entirely. It was hard to say, and the fourteen year old could have cared less. She was looking out for herself, not anyone else. She'd spent a good amount of time stealing whatever money she could get off people, but she knew that the darker parts of the city could contribute more. They were the drug dealers and the gang members, the ones who ran all _kinds_ of underground businesses and got plenty of money. Besides, Dusty's motto was people had to have _some_ kind of limit on how much money they had.

So as she walked through the street, she felt the eyes of the unfortunate and the criminals on her. Young people weren't commonly seen in those parts, and the ones who did come by were looking for something extra. Dusty was looking for shelter. She had no ulterior motives or grand scheme. But a lot of the people seemed to think otherwise. They either saw her as a threat, or as a tool they could use for themselves.

"Hey." It was a man's voice, not far behind her. Dusty didn't stop walking, didn't even quicken her steps. Running wouldn't do her any good, especially considering a lot of men had longer legs than her. They'd catch up to her in a heartbeat, so she didn't even bother. "You _hear_ me? I'm calling you!" the man exclaimed, his voice becoming harsher. Still, Dusty didn't stop. When she heard the sounds of the man's footfalls behind her, the fourteen year old stopped walking. She still had her hood up, concealing her face. The man, once within arm's length, grabbed Dusty's shoulder and yanked her around. Before he could even say anything, the young girl looked up at him, her eyes changing from blue to a deep crimson red. The man's face paled.

"I thought you wanted to talk to me," Dusty responded, her voice feigning innocence. She could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. "What's wrong? I'm not good enough for you?" Her tone became mocking as she glared at the man, her eyes seemingly turning a darker shade of red. He stumbled backwards, his hands going out to shove her away, but his hands went right through. He let out a petrified cry. While he was still within her proximity, Dusty put one of her hands against her lips, before waving it out, an almost exaggerated form of blowing a kiss. A pair of large glowing lips formed near Dusty and went directly towards the man. Once it made contact with him, he vanished. That was when the fourteen year old realized how quiet it was. She looked around, seeing people frozen in fear or bewilderment. A small smirk came across her face. Maybe they'd learn to leave her alone after that.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **If you've got constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know, okay? I think it's really important to get feedback on my story's progression. If I'm doing anything wrong, if I'm not properly writing a canon character, just drop a review and I'll fix it the best I can. Remember, constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **Nothing in the DP universe belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. PM me if you've got ideas for OCs or subplots.**

Dreams Come True 996: _I'm sure Butch Hartman left Nick because he probably wanted to do his own thing. He was working for the company for roughly 20+ years, I'm sure he had his fill at that point. I'm glad you like the story so far, and I hope it keeps your interest down the road._

 **Remember to leave your thoughts!**

 **See you on the flip side.**

 **Chi August**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won't be. But there is grace in their failings."_

-Vision; **from Avengers: Age of Ultron** (2015)

* * *

Dusty let out a satisfied huff of air as she stood in front of an abandoned building. It was old, but still stable in its foundations. The outer walls were littered in graffiti and all kinds of vandalism. Windows were broken or covered in wooden boards, one of the front doors was barely hanging on a hinge. Dusty wasn't entirely sure what to expect when she went inside, but she was just thankful the building was so big, otherwise she would have been thoroughly disappointed. In the meantime, the young girl knew she'd have to do a little investigating to ensure there were no other people inside. The last thing Dusty wanted was to share living space with other people. The last building she stayed at seemed to be a popular place for kids to throw raves. The young girl put an end to that _very_ quickly. A perk of having good powers.

Walking to the front of the building, Dusty shoved the door open, flinching slightly when it fell to the ground in a loud clang. Shrugging it off, the young girl shouldered her backpack and continued venturing inside. She could see wallpaper coming off the walls, mildew staining the ceiling, floors, and walls, any furniture that was left inside were in tatters. It was obvious rats and other small animals were currently living inside, considering there were lots of droppings on the ground. A significant amount of light was coming in through the windows, even from the ones that were boarded up. Dusty let out a satisfied hum. It wasn't the best, but it was something. She'd make the best of it, just like she'd done countless times before in different locations. She didn't care if it was sanitary, as long as she felt safe enough to sleep there for the night.

Dusty chose to keep looking around, making sure she didn't see any people inside. She could tell that people once inhabited the building _long_ before she came in. There were empty bottles and cans, even a few needles. The building itself smelled terrible, probably a mixture of human and animal inhabitants and the natural decomposition from exposure to nature. Dusty wasn't going to complain. Survival didn't equate to hygienic. She didn't get the opportunity to always have a safe and _clean_ place to sleep. Just like she wasn't always able to have food for the day, considering how she may not have obtained enough money during her travels. Some people were very peculiar with where they kept their cash, should they have any on them at all. Those days were frustrating. That was another reason why Dusty tried hitting the darker parts of the city first, especially if they're overrun with drug dealers and gangs. Those two groups had very predictable areas in keeping their earnings safe. Dusty could easily figure out where it was kept, stealing it without even being noticed. As a result, another thought popped into the fourteen year old's head – as she looked for other inhabitants, she'd look for any money hidden among the filth and debris.

Stopping at the entrance to another room – obviously an old workspace at one point – Dusty took off her backpack and placed it next to her. While her powers in human form were useful, she knew that in her ghost form, it'd be even better. As a ghost, the fourteen year old's powers were enhanced, far more powerful than when they'd be used in human form. Dusty also knew that if she were to obtain injuries as a ghost, it would heal up faster. Another perk of her powers. So, as she stood in the entryway, a red circle of energy formed around her waist. The energy split down the middle, one sliding up her torso while the other went down her legs. Instantly, Dusty's appearance changed. Her blonde hair turned ink black, her blue eyes turned a deep, crimson red. Her skin had paled even more so, along with her outfit becoming entirely different, as well. An old, oversize t-shirt changed into a white, turtleneck crop top, ending just a couple inches over her bellybutton. An old, pale blue jeans turned into black and white pants. The pants fit nicely around Dusty's waist and became more loose fitting the further down it goes. Worn down tennis shoes turned white, looking in better condition. Once the red energy disintegrated, Dusty picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. Giving herself a soft jump upwards, she started levitating.

"Let's get this over with," she muttered.

 **-Rainbow-**

There were a lot of things Dusty didn't want to acknowledge about herself. Her background in particular. At only fourteen, she had been exposed to things no child should have to endure. All thanks to her _step_ father. In some ways, Dusty knew she was. . . . _related_ to the man who made her, but she didn't want to see it that way. She didn't want to see him as any _kind_ of parental figure. He didn't deserve that kind of title. Though, he made it clear he didn't want any kind of relationship with Dusty, either, so it worked out in the end. In the very beginning, though, the young girl _desperately_ wanted her stepfather's approval, but no matter what she did, he refused to accept or acknowledge it. And as he started to abuse her, she started seeking his approval less and less. In time, she came to hate him just as much as he hated her. Dusty wanted to throw all those memories away after she successfully escaped him – she couldn't _stand_ them. But she couldn't.* Those memories, those feelings that went with them, made the fourteen year old grow stronger. It gave her the power to keep going. She used those thoughts and feelings to remind her of what would happen if she ever went back.

The abuse, however, was something Dusty wanted to forget altogether, all animosity over her stepfather aside. He claimed that what he was doing for her was to make her stronger, so that way he could easily exploit her abilities for his own personal gain. It was horrendous, in Dusty's mind, that a man who claimed to be her creator would be so merciless and horrific towards her. She'd tried, in the beginning, to fight his violent advances, and the advances his unwilling followers made, but it was no use. If Dusty resisted in any way, she'd be beaten even more violently. She learned to stop fighting, but understood that she'd have to fight harder against him and his followers if she were going to make an escape one day. That became Dusty's goal. The fourteen year old swore she'd forget _all_ about what he did to her once she left, but she couldn't. Just like those memories of her stepfather, the abuse she faced made her stronger. It made her more motivated in wanting to get out and _survive_.

Those, among so many other things, were parts of Dusty's background she wanted to ignore. She didn't _want_ to believe she had to remember her previous life to have a better one, but she knew she'd never heal if she didn't recognize it happened. Living in abandoned buildings and stealing money from people was in no way helping Dusty heal, and she knew she'd have to find healthier ways to go about her newfound freedom, but she wasn't entirely sure how to do that. Dusty relied on her powers to help her through certain situations. Besides, she was trying to stay out of the public eye. She'd done a good job for the most part. All she'd have to do was find a better way to survive. There had to be _some_ thing out there for her, right?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **A long wait for a chapter I'm not too fond of. Whatever. Hopefully you guys at least tolerate it. Let me know what could use improvement, tell me what you liked, what you disliked, etc. I'm all for constructive criticism. If you thought the chapter was nice as is, then you can choose to let me know. It's completely up to you.**

 **Nothing in the DP universe belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, PM me or leave a review. I'll get on it as quickly as possible.**

 **Also, how many of you guys have seen BLACK PANTHER? I've seen the movie twice already! It's such a good movie, the soundtrack is amazing, the actors/actresses are phenomenal. If you haven't seen it, I suggest going out and doing so. It's, by far, my favorite MARVEL movie.**

 **On that, I'll see you guys on the flip side.**

 **Chi August**


	6. Chapter 6

s _omething, something about this place_  
 _(Something), something about lonely nights_  
 _And my lipstick on your face_  
 _(Something), something, something about my cool Nebraska guy_  
 _Yeah something about baby you and I_

-Yoü and I; **from Lady Gaga**

* * *

Irina was looking out a window, observing the scenery in front of her. She saw the plants, maybe a bird or two, but her mind was questioning everything. Was what she was seeing _real_? Irina spent so much of her time cooped up in Vlad's mansion, she couldn't tell anymore. She had to wonder if the outside world was as real as it looked. Was there something she was missing? It didn't make an ounce of sense to her. And Vlad, well, he was being his usual self on the matter. If Irina showed even a _tiny_ bit of interest in going outside, then she'd be terminated. His rules evolved as time went on, becoming more violent and horrifying. Well, maybe they were horrifying in the beginning. Irina found herself not as frightened as she once was. Vlad's control over her didn't seem so intimidating; in fact, she stopped noticing. He only needed her when necessary.*

Tapping her fingers on her forearms, Irina let out a sigh. Vlad had gone on a _business_ _trip_ , saying he'd be back in no time. In the Masters household, there were two types of _business_ _trips_ — one involved Vlad _actually_ leaving the house to meet clients; the other involved the Ghost Zone, where he'd transform into Plasmius and. . .deal with his ghostly clients. Irina knew better than to intervene. She used to question what he was doing while he was away, and his responses were far less pleasant.

Letting out a sigh, Irina walked away from the mirror. She knew better than to linger there too long. If Vlad caught her, she'd be dead for sure.

"I'm already half-dead," she grumbled bitterly, "what's the worst he could do to me?"

That seemed to be the big question that lingered in the young girl's mind. Aside from being Vlad's clone, she was already half-dead. The _termination_ threat lost its horror a long time ago. For Irina, she'd love, more than _any_ thing, to no longer be alive. She'd been told countless stories on how her failed _siblings_ turned out — they died shortly after birth. Vlad's complete desperation to have companionship drove him to cloning _himself_ to feel something. It was pathetic, really. Just how lonely could a billionaire be? The richest man in Wisconsin, possibly the whole world, and he stooped so low as to clone himself just to love or control something.

 _It's not like it matters anyway,_ Irina thought. _He kept me around for a reason. He could've killed me — no, he could kill me if he wanted to._

That was really all there was in Vlad's and Irina's relationship. One of them would be sacrificed just because the other didn't like them.

 **-Rainbow-**

Phasing through the floors and walls, Dusty took her time observing the building. She had to make sure to inspect every crevice, every little corner — she couldn't leave _any_ thing unchecked. If even _one_ person was in that building, she'd be in big trouble. She couldn't afford to have trespassers on her place for the night. Dusty wasn't one who enjoyed _sharing_.

Once she phased herself into an old room, probably a breakroom at one point, Dusty took in what was in front of her. There was an upturned table, broken and moldy. Any paint on the wall had weathered away, black mold decorating the corners and down the wall. The room itself smelled damp and heavy, filling Dusty's lungs and making her shift uncomfortably. She may be half-ghost, but things like black mold still affected her the same. However, she couldn't waste time getting uncomfortable in an old room like that. She _had_ to investigate.

 _If there's one thing I've learned from him,_ Dusty thought bitterly, _it's that you can't be too careful._

It was true.* One of the _very_ few things Dusty's stepfather taught her was to be extremely cautious. That was probably one of the only good things she kept with her. Her stepfather was, overall, a complete ass, but he had his moments where what he taught made sense. Being a half-ghost in modern society was a very high risk. Should anyone find out about what Dusty or _he_ could do, they'd be taken away for experimentation. Possibly even to be killed. But Dusty wasn't all that frightened of that. She'd endured _much_ worse.

Holding a hand up, Dusty snapped her fingers. Any extra doors in the breakroom flew open and the table crumbled under the pressure that had been released. An old plastic chair flew against the wall, smashing through the rotting materials. Dusty's telekinesis was fairly strong, a bit uncontrolled at the best of times, but relatively easy to work with. She still had a lot to control when it came to that ability, though, as well as countless others. Dusty hadn't been around very long when she started training to control herself.

When no one came out, the young halfa let out a content hum. For the most part, she hadn't seen or detected a single human within the building. Maybe her initial impression on the guys outside had been good enough for them to leave her alone. Or the building was probably truly abandoned and Dusty hit the jackpot.

"Let's just keep looking," she grumbled, forcing her head out of the clouds. She spent so much time thinking, going over scenarios and other situations that she was straying from her task. The last thing Dusty wanted was to distract herself.

Walking through the room, Dusty made sure to look around as carefully as possible. While she may have used her telekinesis to kind of push anyone out who might be hiding, there could always be a select few who'd manage to resist. It wasn't often a human could resist Dusty's powers, but it has happened on very rare occasions. Going to the first doorway, her eyes scanned it, taking in every little thing. It was a storage closet, or something that was supposed to _resemble_ a storage closet. It was filthy, dusty, falling apart, but there wasn't a single person inside. Moving on to the next room, Dusty realized it went to a hallway. Peering down, she let out a sigh.

 _Let's just get this over with,_ she thought.

 **-Rainbow-**

Irina was walking through the seemingly endless hallways of the Masters mansion. She had gone down them so many times, she had them memorized. Vlad, upon Irina's awakening, never took the time to show her around, so she had to do it herself. In the grand scheme of things, having to get the general foundation of a mansion all by herself was incredibly boring, even a bit lonely. But what could she do about it? Vlad didn't want her to have any companionship; he wanted her to be isolated, dependent on him without being _with_ him.

Vlad's way of thinking made no sense to Irina.

 _As if Vlad Masters could ever make sense,_ she thought.

Turning down another hallway, Irina opened a door and found herself in the dining area. The room itself was gigantic, with a big mahogany table in the center, elegant looking wooden chairs surrounding it, and plenty of other expensive, irreplaceable things. Vlad was very proud of his treasures, keeping them in perfect condition. His hopes were to one day impress Maddie with his wealth and success. He wanted her to be absolutely frazzled with the man he'd become. Irina thought it was funny. As if a woman could be so desperate as to find _Vlad_ appealing in _any_ way. He was arrogant, patronizing, _selfish_ — he possessed all the characteristics of an unhealthy partner. He already showed how unhealthy he could be as a _parental_ figure.

Scowling, Irina sat herself down at the dining table. She hated how Vlad considered himself her father. She didn't know any better from _him_ and how an _actual_ father was supposed to behave, but she knew Vlad's methods were dangerous. The violence was putting Irina down a very bad path, and God only knows how that would end. Folding her arms over the table, she leaned forward and rested her chin on her arms. Why did she have to be a clone? Why couldn't she be normal, whatever _normal_ was? Irina wanted to experience being a _human_ , not some half-ghost misfit. She didn't know how to think, she didn't know how to _act_ — everything had to be done Vlad's way. Irina was tired of it.

Letting out a soft sigh, she turned her head so her cheek was resting against her arms. It as a more comfortable position.

A position that didn't last long — before Irina's skin broke out into goosebumps.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know it's a long wait for this chapter, but here it is! Whatever constructive criticism you guys have will be appreciated!**

 **Nothing in the DP fandom belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the summer classes I'm currently enrolled in. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, don't hesitate to PM me. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Also, sorry it took so long for me to update. I just lost track of the time, I guess? I don't know. Either way, I'll try and update on a more frequent basis. I'd still love to have some help from you guys, though. This story won't be able to improve if you guys don't help out!**

 **On that, I'll see you guys on the flip side!**

 **Chi August**


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